Centre must initiate stringent action in Orissa carnage

Chennai, Oct 11 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today condemned the violent attacks against places of worship and minority population in the aftermath of the murder of VHP leader Lakshmananda Saraswathi and demanded that the Centre must take stringent action to ensure that the attacks do not recur.

In a statement here, Mr Karunanidhi also appealed to people of all communities in Bodhi district to which the attacks had spread, to maintain communal harmony.

He charged that even though Maoists had claimed responsibility for the murder of the VHP leader, minorities were being blamed for the murder and violence was being unleashed against them.

He said he was anguished to learn that 35 people had been killed and about 100 houses had been set on fire in Kandhamal district where the attacks on olaces of worship and people of minority community first broke out.

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